Stuffer crimping apparatus

ABSTRACT

Stuffer crimping apparatus having retaining rings coaxial and adjacent to one of two stuffer rollers. The retaining rings are of a larger diameter than the coaxial roller, thereby overlapping the other stuffer roller forming a yarn guide channel. The retaining rings also rotate with the roller.

ilmted Mates Patent [151 3,68,1 11 Heijnis [4 1 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] STUFFER CRKMHNG APPATUS [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: James W. U. Heiinis, Arnhem, UNITED STATES PATENTS Netherlands 3,093,867 6/1963 Chandler ..28/1.6 [7 3] Assignee: Akzona Incorporated Ashevine 3, 1 1 Williamson .6 NC 3,237,270 3/1966 Dennis ..28/1.6 3,600,776 8/1971 Aoki ..28/1.6 3,618,183 11 1971 F k t l ..281.6 22 Filed: March 31, 1971 l e a [21] Appl. 129,835 Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Att0rneyFrancis W. Young [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTCT April 1, 1970 Netherlands ..045 80/70 Smffer crimping apparatus having retaining rings coaxial and adjacent to one of two stuffer rollers. The

retaining rings are of a larger diameter than the coaxi- [52] US. Cl ..28/1.6 a] roller, thereby overlapping the other stuffer roller [51] int. Cl. ..D2g 11/12 forming a yarn guide channel. The retaining rings also [58] Field of Search ..28/1 .6, 72.14 rotate with the roller.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDwc 1 1912 3.680. 1 81 18 17 INVENTOR.

JAMES W. IJ. HEIJNIS ATTORNEY STUFFER CRIMPING APPARATUS The present invention relates to stuffer crimping apparatus having a pair of rollers adjacent the inlet of a stuffing chamber wherein threads, fibrous or filamentary, are stuffed into a wad of threads already in the stuffing chamber. This stuffing action imparts a crimp to the threads, which may be heat set forming a permanent crimp in the threads. The threads are then withdrawn from the chamber by numerous conventional means, and wound onto pirns or used for other purposes.

The purpose of the rollers mentioned is to force threads being fed through the rollers into the stuffing chamber, thereby stuffing them onto threads already contained in the chamber.

Known rollers have stationary guides on each side of the rollers at their mutual point of contact. The guides keep incoming threads between the rotating rollers, assuring that the threads will be forced into the stuffing chamber.

Obviously, the stationary plates are subjected to a great amount of wear as the threads go by. This wear in the plates causes slits to form between the plates and stuffing rollers, often leading to threads being caught in the slits and breaking. The broken threads cause interruptions in production and adversely affect the quality of the crimped threads.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a stuffer crimping apparatus without the high wear problems associated with stationary plates.

It is also an object of this invention to minimize thread breakage in a tow of threads being forced through stuffing rollers into a stuffing chamber.

Further objects will become apparent from a reading of the description below.

The present invention utilizes a pair of stuffing rollers in a conventional manner. However, a tow of threads is guided onto the stuffing rollers by two discs or retaining rings concentric with one of the stuffing rollers. The discs, being of a larger diameter than the concentric roller, provide an overlap of the cooperating stuffing roller near the point of contact of the rollers. This overlap may be from to 40 percent, but about 30 percent overlap is preferable.

In one embodiment, the discs are retained in position adjacent the stuffing rollers by means of hubs secured to the concentric roller shaft. The hubs may be secured by set screws, or any conventional method.

Axial pressure members, such as helical springs, may also be used between the hubs and retaining discs. By this method pressure can be brought to bear on the retaining discs, forcing them against the stuffing roller.

In operation, the retaining discs rotate at the same speed as the stuffing rollers, greatly decreasing the wear rate of the discs, thus virtually eliminating the slits found in stationary guide members.

Details of the invention can be readily seen from the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view along Line I-I in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a part sectional view along Lines II-II shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a stuffer box crimper with stufi'er rollers l and 2 under a given load towards each other and rotatable in the direction shown by arrows 3 and 4 5$$$ES lilili 'vll ifil aifil" il iiilfi are supported in the usual manner on a crimping frame. Threads (not shown) are forced in the direction of arrow 7 through the stuffing rollers into the neck of stuffing chamber 8 formed by plates 9 and 10. (The sides of the stuffing chamber are not shown.) The stuffing chamber 8 has a hinged door 11 loaded with weight 12 for applying the desired counter pressure to the yarn wad in stuffing chamber 8 during operation.

On either side of stuffing roller 1, retaining discs 13 and 14 are slidably mounted on shaft 5. These discs are approximately 30 percent larger in diameter than the stuffing rollers l and 2 so that at and near the point of contact 15 of the two rollers, the end faces of the rollers are covered by the overlapping discs. Because of this larger diameter, the retaining discs form past the point of contact 15 part of the walls of the gradually widening upper portion of stuffing chamber 8. Thus, the discs at indicated point 16 are moving in substantially the same direction as the crimped wad of yarn, as the retaining discs rotate with the stuffing rollers.

In FIG. 2, the discs are mounted on shaft 5 by means of hubs l8 and 19 clamped tightly on shaft 5 by conventional means (not shown). The retaining discs 13 and 14 are axially pressed against the end faces of stuffing rollers l and 2 by circumferentially arranged helical springs 20 provided in hubs 18 and 19. The tension in the springs 20 is adjusted by adjustment screws 21. Set screws 22 lock the adjustment screws in place.

Various modifications may be made to the above description within the scope of the invention. For instance, retaining disc 13 may be positioned on shaft 5 while disc 14 may be positioned on shaft 6.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for stuffer box crimping synthetic threads, comprising:

a. a stuffing chamber for receiving the synthetic threads;

b. a complemental pair of stuffing rollers having parallel axes and being oppositely rotatable, the circumferential sides of the rollers having a mutual point of contact through which the synthetic threads are fed to the stuffing chamber; and

c. discs on either side of the stuffing rollers being coaxial and rotatable with anyone of said rollers, each of said discs being of a larger diameter than the stuffing roller with which it is coaxial.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discs are coaxial and rotatable with one stuffing roller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diameters of the discs are from 10 to 40 percent greater than the coaxial roller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discs are slidable along their axis, said discs having forcing means directing the discs along their axis toward the coaxial roller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said forcing means comprise hubs secured opposite each disc along the axis of the discs, and one or more helical springs between said hubs and discs forcing said discs into the coaxial roller. 

1. Apparatus for stuffer box crimping synthetic threads, comprising: a. a stuffing chamber for receiving the synthetic threads; b. a complemental pair of stuffing rollers having parallel axes and being oppositely rotatable, the circumferential sides of the rollers having a mutual point of contact through which the synthetic threads are fed to the stuffing chamber; and c. discs on either side of the stuffing rollers being coaxial and rotatable with anyone of said rollers, each of said discs being of a larger diameter than the stuffing roller with which it is coaxial.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discs are coaxial and rotatable with one stuffing roller.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the diameters of the discs are from 10 to 40 percent greater than the coaxial roller.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discs are slidable along their axis, said discs having forcing means directing the discs along their axis toward the coaxial roller.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said forcing means comprise hubs secured opposite each disc along the axis of the discs, and one or more helical springs between said hubs and discs forcing said discs into the coaxial roller. 